Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Minister Jason Kenney In Response to Don Davies Question About Maeng Family Deportation

The Honourable Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney commented generally in reply to Vancouver Kingsway MP Don Davies' specific concerns about the Maeng family deportation. The Maeng family has lived in NB for several years and have been valued contributing members to the local community. Their eldest son has done well in school and is studying to become a dentist. Their younger son has autism and epilepsy and for this reason, years after the family arrived in Canada, and after disclosing the son's autism condition, Canada has ordered the entire family deported by the end of June. Don Davies MP for Vancouver Kingsway, BRITISH COLUMBIA, questioned Minister Kenney and received this reply as reported in Hansard:

Mr. Speaker, first of all I congratulate the member on his re-election and his appointment as the immigration critic for the official opposition. The member knows that the minister cannot comment on particular cases because of the Privacy Act. Having said that, there is a very fair process, including access to applications for permanent residency for humanitarian and compassionate reasons by individuals. Those are not considered by elected officials but by highly trained public servants. I would point out that there is in our law provision for medical inadmissibility for those who the provinces deem would represent an undue burden to our tax-funded public health care system.

11 comments:

They came in under a visa - your other post mentioned a TEMPORARY work and student visa - then decided to stay. Other's wait for years in line to come into this country. I have little sympathy for those that attempt to use public sympathy to jump the queue.

Just remember... the more people that come into this country, the less services there are for your son. Cold, harsh, cruel even... yes, I know... but in the end there is only X number of dollars and although we aren't like Europe yet... it doesn't mean we can spend what we don't have.

FW2 thank you. I am not surpised given your previous posts on a variety of subjects that you have "little sympathy". I don't recall any post by you on this site in which you displayed sympathy for anyone else.

This family came into this country several years ago and informed Cdn officials at that time of their son's conditions. They have worked hard and built a business. Their older son has been a model student and is studying to be a dentist.

Sending their younger son with autism back to Korea after several years here would likely cause him serious regression and harm. I do have sympathy for him.

As for services for my son I have fought for 12 years for services for my son ... and for other autistic children and adults. It would be nice to see you do the same thing someday instead of just criticizing those who try to help others.

I can't help but be sympathetic toward this family. It sounds as if they've been an asset to their chosen country and would be allowed to stay if not for the struggles of their youngest son. At the risk of sounding like a elementary schooler, this is just not fair!

It seems only right to help them. They've already contributed so much, in terms of their business and just being good citizens.

Mr Dougherty, I applaud and share your concern even though I am American. This is another way that disability has global impact on a family. I love my country, but I couldn't immigrate if I wanted to due to his classic autism. I have seen FW2 comment on several forums and I agree with your assessment there also. I never feel uplifted or enlightened by her comments.

How does she believe that your country is helped by Evie Quaid's admission as a citizen merely because her father was born in Canada (but did not stay there)? The Quaids have significant mental health/addiction issues that will probably eventually need assistance in Canada. They are in massive debt here and probably will incur these there, as well.

In contrast, the South Korean family have worked hard to provide for themselves and never tried to "sneak" their son's disability by officials. I truely hope that they are able to stay.

Yes farmwifetwo, cause lord knowm we need to save that cash for our fleet of new fighter jets and Coast Guard boats. I invite you to spend a day or two with an Autistic child or two and get back to me. ( you obviously never have). Or maybe you are so utterly devoid of sympathy that we should do away with all of them like the Nazis did. Better lump in all the other losers too. Hope you're completely normal or they'll be comin' for you too. You are a complete waste of space I feel.

FW2 - I certainly would not want to be a lame animal on your farm. Simple math - the family is self supporting with a business, contribute to society (likely far more than you), have a son going to Dentist school - a professional in very high demand in this nation (by the way as temp visa they pay the international tuition – about twice what a citizen pays), and I am sure via the business they have contributed more tax dollars than you on an annual basis. Of the plethora of false immigration cases that cost us (per your Conservative pals) over a 100 million dollars a year you see the concept that contributing members in society should not qualify. Well rocket scientist what this really tells us is that the Con government knows autism is increasing (and they do not give a crap by the way) even though they have denied the issue as substantive time and time again (usual Con stuff – keep repeating the lie and hope like heck it transforms to the truth). You are specifically pathetic and like all Cons all these things are great, unless of course they affect you (much like your much voiced entitlement to residential services for your kids when they get older so as you stated “I have a right to live my life”). People like me will advocate for your kids even though you will not support anyone else (as you posted in the past “I don’t give an f about others, I fight for mine only”). The privacy law the minister refers to is a Con invention that will allow abuse of disabled to go without notice or consequence – see the story about the young man locked in a room in NS with nowhere to pee but the corner. The just punishment for you is that this how you live your life and I sincerely pity you. I pray that after you leave this world there will be compassionate advocates for your kids. I KNOW I pay more tax than you and my family has served queen (king further in the past) and country (including me) in the army from the days of the war of 1812 – WE have a value set more consistent with a nation of value, something this expulsion order contradicts. Your Con friends have signed a plethora of UN treaties to support disabled individuals but do nothing to provide substance, it is a complete joke and the UN reported this in 2006 (may have been earlier, you can Google it). Given your reality I will not engage you in any debate nor will I reply to anything to post in response – I will use the Con method – utterly completely ignore any counter argument and stick to my line, difference here is that mine line is actually sincere and compassionate towards other human beings.

Unfortunately, 'apathy' is just one more 'A' word on the rise...and even the most difficult parts of autism are easier to live with.

Compassion for others is what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. "Cold, harsh and cruel" are descriptive words to tell us we're 'evolving' in the wrong direction. Sorry, FW2 but I don't share your point of view... or ever want to.

The concept that there isn't enough to go around is BOGUS. When we need a fake lake in the middle of Toronto...the bucks are there. A fake war...$$$$...There is plenty to go around. We need political will and the right values as a nation.

101 Noteworthy Sites on Asperger's & Autism Spectrum Disorders

Facing Autism on Facebook

Why ABA For Autism?

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

"We have to look also at environmental factors, and from my point of view, the interaction between the genetic factors and the environmental factors ... It looks like some shared environmental factors play a role in autism, and the study really points toward factors that are early in life that affect the development of the child"
Joachim Hallmayer, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at Stanford University in California

Even Out Environmental and Genetic Autism Research Funding

Right now, about 10 to 20 times more research dollars are spent on studies of the genetic causes of autism than on environmental ones.

We need to even out the funding.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute Researcher

My Autism Pledge For Conor

Today I pledge to continue;I Pledge to continue to fight for the availability of effective autism treatments;I Pledge to continue to fight for a real education for autistic children;I Pledge to continue to fight for decent residential care for autistic adults;I Pledge to continue to fight for a cure for autism;I Pledge to continue finding joy in my son but not in the autism disorder that restricts his life;Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to hope for a better life for Conor and others with autism, through accommodation, care, respect, treatment, and some day, a cure;Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to fight for the best possible life for Conor, my son with autistic disorder.

Dr. Jon Poling : Blinders Won’t Reduce Autism

"Fortunately, the ‘better diagnosis’ myth has been soundly debunked. ... only a smaller percentage of this staggering rise can be explained by means other than a true increase.

Because purely genetic diseases do not rise precipitously, the corollary to a true autism increase is clear — genes only load the gun and it is the environment that pulls the trigger. Autism is best redefined as an environmental disease with genetic susceptibilities."

We should be investing our research dollars into discovering environmental factors that we can change, not more poorly targeted genetic studies that offer no hope of early intervention. Pesticides, mercury, aluminum, several drugs, dietary factors, infectious agents and yes — vaccines — are all in the research agenda.